Condensate disposal system for refrigerators



C. G. ROBBINS CONDENSATE DISPOSAL SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATORS April 22, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 6. 1948 //v VENTUR- CARL a. ROBBINS April 22, 1952 c. G. ROBBINS 2,594,073

CONDENSATE DISPOSAL SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed Aug. 6, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 22, 1952 c. G. ROBBINS 9 3 CONDENSATE DISPOSAL SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed Aug. 6, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 M/VE/VTUR CARL G. ROBE/IVS A ril 22, 1952 c. G. ROBBINS CONDENSATE DISPOSAL SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed Aug. 6, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIVVf/VTOR 04m 6. ROBE/N5 April 22, 1952 c. e. ROBBINS CONDENSATE DISPOSAL SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed Aug. 6, 1948 I/NVE/VTOR. V

I GARL- a. ROBBINS Patented Apr. 22, 1952 I CONDENSATE DISPOSAL SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATORS Carl G. Robbins, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 6, 1948, Serial No. 42,933

Claims. Cl. 62-116) This invention relates to improvements in re: frigerators, and more. particularly to improvements in means for the disposal of condensate in refrigerators of the so-called two-temperature yp At the present time, certain types of refrigerators are provided which have two refrigeration compartments. One of these is held at a low temperature, considerably below freezing, and the other is held at a higher temperature, usually sufliciently low to prevent spoilage and yet high enough to prevent freezing. In the preferred form of construction, the higher temperature compartment is cooled by coils which are placed in contact with the liner wall, rather than being exposed to the air inside the refrigerator. This prevents the coils from frosting and causes a more even Withdrawal of heat through the liner wall.

Because the wall is cool, however, moisture the following description of an embodiment thereof, which description is illustrated by the accompanying drawings and forms a part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a complete refrigerator with the bottom portion broken away and shown in section to more clearly illustrate the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view illustrating my invention;

condenses on the wall and eventually runs down i the sides and is accumulated in a container. After a period of time, this container must be emptied. Although this is not a very complicated chore, it is one which is often neglected with the result that the Water runs out of the container and wets the floor. This may cause considerable damage as well as make a mess which is undesirable.

If the container is inside-the refrigerator, it 4 uses up valuable storage space. If it is outside the cabinet, it still further complicates the manner of its storage and/or emptying.

By my present invention, I have provided a dis-- posal system which automatically disposes of all the condensate and which never requires any attention except under unusual conditions. The manner of disposal of condensate also assistsin cooling the refrigerant after it is compressed, thus increasing the efficiency of its operation. The system is carried out by the addition of a few simple parts which are readily accessible for cleaning and extremely easy to remove.

Although the invention about to be described is extremely useful in connection with the socalled two-temperature or moist cold compartment type of refrigerator, it will be found that it can. be used to advantage with the conventional type of. refrigerator where the evaporatoris dis.-

posed. inside of the box and; where periodical de frosting must be carried out, if greatest efficiency" is. realized. Particularly is ituseful with. refrigerators' thathave an automatic defrosting cycle.

Still other advantages of the invention and the invention itself will become moreapparent from Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational'view thereof;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view partly in section and partly in elevation; showing one form of drain pipe;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the invention applied to a-different style of refrigerator cabinet;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view ofthe tray used in the application shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the application of my invention shown'in Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, throughout which like parts are designated by like reference characters, and particularlyto Fig. 1, there is illustrated a refrigerator which includes the cabinet having an outer shell Ill and an inner liner I I which is spaced from the outer shell and insulated therefrom by insulation" l3. A door I4 is provided for closing the frontopening and like wise is insulated.

The particular refrigerator shown is illustrated more. in detail in the copending application of Evans T. Morton for Refrigerator, Ser. No.

720,080, filed. January 3, 1947. As shown in that application, the lower compartment is cooled by the coils which are in intimatexengagement with the exterior of the liner H.

The base of the cabinet is provided with a machinery compartment [5, and a motor com pressor unit [6 is disposed in the compartment being supported by brackets. such as H on a subframe t8. Below" the sub-frame I8 isprovided the base 20 which has feet 21 upon which the cabinet rests.

The evaporation coils, not shown, but which are; clearly illustrated in the aforesaid: case are connected. to the compressor througli the low pressure tube 23. The refrigerant is compressed in. the compressor and then passes from. the compressor through the high pressure conduit 25 to the condenser 26. From the condenser 2.6 connection is made to the evaporator tubes by the line 2 1.

the bottom so that a draft may be realized there-' through.

As previously stated, the condensate collects on the liner H and gradually runs down the walls to the bottom of the compartment. densation of moisture is not wholly undesirable because the amount of moisture removed is small as compared with a refrigerator where the evaporator coils are directly exposed to the inside air of the cabinet, and the moist cold assists in maintaining the food, especially garden vegetables, in a fresh and crisp condition. The bottom wall of the liner slants toward the center line of the refrigerator and also slants fromthe back toward the front as indicated at 3|. At its lowest spot an outlet for the condensate is provided which extends completely through the liner, the insulation and the outer cabinet and into the machinery compartment. In other words, the bottom of the inner liner is so shaped that the condensate runs to one'spot-and-a drain is provided at the lowest spot," through which the The con- 4 V, of the cabinet. This loop is supported in position by a clip 80 secured to a bracket 85 on the bottom wall of the cabinet at 8|, and is provided with a pair of downwardly extending parts 82 having hook shaped portions 83 on their respective ends into which the parts 51-58 of the loop may be engaged. As can best be seen in Fig. 3, there are two of these hooks disposed to engage the loop 51 58 at the center portion. It will be appreciated, however, that one such support may be sufficient, and that the number and placement thereof may be varied. The run 58 then bends back parallel to the tube 56 as indicated at 59 removably disposed beneath it. This receptacle condensate may run, into the machinery.

compartment.

As shown in Fig. 5,"the'wall-3l drains to a lower portion 32 that is provided with an opening 33. A rubber coupling is provided for the opening and has an upper flange 34 provided with a'tapered edge portion 35 for intimate contact with the liner. A peripheral groove 36 is provided into which the edge of the liner, which defines the opening 33; extends in intimate engagement. The coupling is'provided'with a bore 38 extending through it, and a tube 39 is disposed in the bore, the tube having an enlarged portion 40 that engages with a circular boss M on the inside of the bore 38. The end 42 of the coupling is of reduced diameter, the entire assembly providing a close fluid-tight fit Above the boss 4| in th coupling and around the enlarged end 40 of the tube is an annular channel 44. A cap is provided having a curved upper surface 45 and provided with a skirt 46 whereby the cap is supported inthe channel 44 spaced slightly above the surrounding parts. Apertures 41 are provided in the lower end of the skirt. 46 which is'held in spaced relation to the tube 40 by lugs 48. Water seeping into the portion 32 may escape through the aperture E1 and then upward over the tube 49, the combination acting as a trap. The'tube then extends down through the lower liner and is supported by a grommet 5|] disposed in the outer liner I0.

The tube25, on the high pressure side of the compressor unit, instead of extending directly to is so designed that the, condensate runs to the lower part in which the loop 51-58 is disposed so that the liquid is in contact with the hot loop. It is so supported that when it is removed, the act of removal results in a lowering of the receptacle so that it clears the loop 5l58 when it is withdrawn or raises it when it is inserted in the machinery compartment.

The receptacle is preferably made of transparent plastic which is deep in the front and is shallow at the back. It comprises a bottom wall 60 which'slants upward from the front to the back, being provided with triangular side walls 6| and a vertically extending front wall 62. The front wall is provided with a recess 63 having a forward and. downwardly extending lip 64 to provide a convenient handle hold. As can best be seen inFig. 2, the plane of the bottom wall is substantially parallel to the plane of the portions '56, 51, 58 and 59 of the heated tube, and when the receptacle is in position, the loop 51-58 is disposed-spaced from but close to the bottom and forward part of the receptacle.

Brackets are used for supporting the receptacle and providing guide rails for guiding the receptacle upon insertion and removal. There may be two such brackets disposed for engagement with the sides and the portions of the bottom wall adjacent the sides. These each include a fiat top portion 10 which may be secured to the top wall of the machinery compartment and are provided with downwardly extending portions H which carry, "at'their ends, the inwardly extending rails 12. These rails, likewise, provide a surface which slants'downward toward the front of the cabinets and extend inward toward each other to provide ample support for the receptacle.

Each of the rails is provided with a rectangular opening 14 into which lugs on the bottom adjacent the opposite ends of the receptacle may extend. gThe lugs are provided with a front wall 16 substantially perpendicular to the bottom thereof and a slanting wall 11 which slants up- .ward' and merges with the bottom of the receptacle.

In the case of the cabinet shown in Fig. 1 the front of the machinery compartment is closed by a bin for holding dry vegetables or the like. This bin is best shown in Fig. 1 and includes the exteriorlinish cover 90 which is designed to match 1 the door l4 and to provide a smooth exterior further description will be made. Suffi'ce to say that the :front portion may be pulled reward; in this instance, tipping about its bottom part at the hinge 92 to allow free access'to the front of the cabinet below the door l4 and thence the water receptacle which then appears as shown in Fig. '4.

When it is desired to remove the receptacle, the front end is raised by engaging the hand hold 6364, to disengage the lugs i5 from the openings M in the rails. The receptacle is then pulled forward and allowed to slide down the rails 12. This causes the receptacle to be lowered, as it is withdrawn thus allowing the'same to easily clear the tubing 5659.

When it is desired to replace the receptacle, it is merely placed with the rear portion in engagement with the rails and pushed backward. This causes it to rise into position around the tubing.

It is pushed backward 'until the lugs 75 drop into :1

the openings 74 at which time it is in position,

In operation, the condensate from the Walls inside the refrigerator drains, as described, into the receptacle where it runs to the front and comes into contact with the tubing. The tubing,

being hot, or warm, causes the liquid to evaporate,tl'ie vapor escaping to the room. Because the condensate escapes so quickly to the receptacle, there is not sufficient time for it to collect but a small ainount of food odors and there is no no- I ticeable undesirable odor due to the vaporization.

Besides disposing of the moisture, the act of disposal thereof actually increases the efficiency of the unit due to the heat transfer from the tubing to the water and the resultant cooling duato vaporization.

In Fig. 6, I have shown my invention applied to another form of refrigeration cabinet. The main difference in this case is that due to the fact that smaller more compact compressor units are available, the interior of the refrigerator is extended for the full length of the cabinet. In this instance, the door I ia extends from the top to the bottom of the cabinet and the bottom of the cabinet is closciy adjacent to the floor. compressor unit 15 is housed at the rear of the cabinet and the condenser unit 25 is raised in the stack or flue 30.

The condensate as before collects on the walls of the refrigerating compartment and gathers in :43

the depressed portion of the bottom of the compartment from where it drains through the tube 39 into the receptacle. In this embodiment, the bottom of the receptacle is horizontal to provide for larger capacity in the receptacle which must necessarily be made less deep than in the embodiment previously described. The sid walls are shaped of two right-triangular or trapezoidal walls. The upper triangular side walls 93 the long sides of which form the upper rim of the receptacle are spaced somewhat wider apart than the lower triangular parts 94 so that the portions of the side walls joining their hypotenuses forms an inclined plane 95. These inclined planes which are on opposite sides of the receptacle engage with the sloping guide rails 91 in the lower portion of the refrigerator and thereby support the receptacle in position. The guide rails are carried by brackets similar to those described in the previous embodiment which are fastened to the lower wall of the refrigerator in the same manner Rectangular openings M in the guide rails and lugs 15 on the inclined planes are provided similarly as before to hold the receptacle in position. The position and shape of the receptacle is such that upon opening the door Ma, the re- The copt'acle can be 'pulled out, {sliding down some rails and onto the scar with sufficient clearance tso avbi'd the tubes.

7 Having thus uescrisesmy invention, I am-aware that extensive departures ma "be made f-rom th form without deviating from the spirit br 866171: of my invention.

1 claim:

1. A condensate disposal "systemfor a rerrigsa ator including a cabinet and a refrigerant com pressor, a condenser and anevaporator with refi i'gerant conduits connecting them, said conduit between 'the condenser and the-compressor being disposed beneath the bottom wall "of the cabinet and being formed with'a portion exte'nding sewawardiy in spaced relation thereto, 'a cram for said cabinet, and a receptacle disposed opposite said drain and means for supporting said recap;- tacle with said downwardly extending portion of the conduit adjacent the bottom thereof, said supporting means being formed to provide guides for lowering and raising said receptacle from around said conduit upon removal or replacement of the receptacle, the fluid in the receptacle be iilg in heat transfer relation with the conduit when the receptacle is in position.

2. A condensate disposal system for a ref-rig rator including a cabinet and a refrigerant compressor, a condenser and an evaporator with refrigerant conduits connectin them, said conduit between the condenser and the "compressor being disposed along the bottom wall of the cabinet and bein formed with a portion extending downwardly in spaced relation thereto, a drain for said cabinet, and a receptacle disposed opposite said drain and means for supporting said reces tacle with said downwardly extending portion of the conduit adjacent the bottom thereof, said supporting means being formed to provide guides for lowering and raising said receptacle from -around said conduit upon removal or replacement of the receptacle, the fluid in the receptacle being in heat transfer relation with the conduit when the receptacle is in position, and interlocking nreans on the guide means and receptacle to hold the same in position. I

f3. A condensate disposal system for a refrigerator including a cabinet and a refrigerant coinpressor, a condenser and an evaporator with refrigerant conduits connecting them, said conduit between the condenser and the compressor being disposed along the bottom wall of thcabi pet and being formed wit-ha portion extending downwardly in spaced relation thereto, a drain for said cabinet, and a receptacle disposed opposite said drain and means for supporting said receptacle with said downwardly extending portion of the conduit adjacent the bottom thereof, said supporting means being formed to provide guides for lowering and raising said receptacle from around said conduit upon removal or replacement of the receptacle, the fluid in. the receptacle being in heat transfer relation with the conduit when the receptacle is in position, said receptacle having a front wall at the front of the refrigerator formed to provide a hand hold for removing and inserting it.

4. A condensate disposal system for a refrigerator including a cabinet and a refrigerant compressor, a condenser and an evaporator with refrigerant conduits connecting them, said conduit between the condenser and the compressor being disposed along the bottom wall of the cabinet and being formed with a portion extending downwardly in spaced relation thereto, a drain for said cabinet, and a receptacle disposed opposite said drain and means for supporting said receptacle with said downwardly extendingportion of the conduit adjacent the bottom thereof, said supporting means being formed to provide guides for lowering and raising said receptacle from around said conduit upon removal or replacement of the receptacle, the fluid in the receptacle being in heat transfer relation with the conduit when the receptacle is in position, said receptacle having a front wall at the front of the refrigerator formed to provide a hand hold for removing and inserting it, a door for the front of the'cabinet for closing the cabinet and concealing the receptacle.

5. In combination with a refrigerator having a compressor anda condenser and a conduit extending from the compressor to the condenser, a drain pipe in the bottom of the refrigerator adapted to receive condensate from the walls thereof, a tray disposed belowthe drain pipe to receive the condensate, said conduit being formed to. extend toward the tray, said conduit being provided with laterally extending convolutions disposed in the tray, a pair of guide rail supports having guide rails for supporting the tray, said guide rails slanting downward toward the front of "the refrigerator, said tray being supported by the guide rails, said guide rails formedto' guide said tray upon removal to effect the lowering of the tray away from said conduit.

6. In combination with a refrigerator having a compressor and a condenser and a conduit extending from the compressorto the condenser, a drain pipe in the bottom of the refrigerator adapted to receive condensate from the walls thereof, a tray disposed below the drain 'pipe to receive the condensate, said conduit being formed to extend toward the tray, said conduit being provided with laterally extending convolutions disposed in the tray, a pair of guide rail supports having guide rails for supporting the tray, said guide rails slanting downward toward the front of the refrigerator, said tray being supported by the guide rails, said guide rails formed to guide said tray upon removal to effect the lowering of the tray away from said conduit, means on the guide rails and tray for locking the tray in the guide rails.

7. In combination with a refrigerator having a compressor and a condenser and a conduit connecting the compressor to the condenser, a drain in the bottom of the refrigerator adapted to receive condensate from the walls thereof, a tray disposed below the drain to receive the .condensate, said conduit being formed to extend into the tray and into the condensate to evaporate the condensate, said conduit being disposed adjacent the floor of the refrigerator spaced from the front and extending downward toward the front and provided with laterally extending convolutions at the front, a pair of guide rail supports having guide rails for supporting the tray, said guide rails slanting downward toward the front of the refrigerator, said tray being deeper toward the front than the back with the bottom wall slanting upward and disposed for engagement with the guide rails, said guide rails formed to provide guide means to guide said tray upon removal to effect lowering of the tray away from said conduit, means on the guide rails and tray for locking the tray in the guide rails.

8. In combination with a refrigerator having a compressor and a condenser and a conduit extending from the compressor to the condenser, a drain in the bottom of the refrigerator adapted to receive condensate from the walls thereof, a

.tray disposed below the drain to receive the condensate, a pair of guide rail supports having guide rails for supporting the tray, said guide rails slanting downward toward the front of the refrigerator, said tray being deeper toward the front than the back with the bottom wall slanting upward and disposed for engagement with the guide rails, said conduit being secured to the bottom of the refrigerator spaced from the front and extending downward spaced from the bottom toward the front and provided with laterally extending convolutions at the front, said guide rails formed to guide said tray upon removal to effecting lowering of the tray away from said conduit, said guide rails being formed with openings therein and lugs on said tray for interlocking engagement with said rails at said opening.

CARL G. ROBBINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 2,442,204 Janos May 25, 1943 

